Wave-motion infant seat

ABSTRACT

A first rotate/translate mechanism, a second rotate/translate mechanism, a drive system, and a control system are operable to generate and impart rotation and translation to an infant-receiving component supported by a frame thereby driving the infant-receiving component through an elliptical wave motion. In an example embodiment, the first rotate/translate mechanism includes a cam that is driven by the drive system and a follower that is driven by the cam to impart the rotation and translation to the infant-receiving component. And the second rotate/translate mechanism includes guided traveler that is guided by a guide track through conforming rotation and translation to permit the wave motion of the infant-receiving component without binding.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 62/047,711 filed Sep. 9, 2014, the entirety ofwhich is hereby incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of infant andchildren products, and more particularly to infant seats.

BACKGROUND

A variety of different child-support devices have been developed forsafely holding infants in sleeping and/or sitting positions. Theseinclude for example bassinets, rockers, cradles, cribs, sleepers,nappers, and the like. Some child-support devices such as rockers,cradles, and some bassinets, are designed for moving through apredetermined repeating motion while provide a soothing effect to thechild carried by the device. While many of these motion child-supportdevices have proven to be very useful, it remains desirable to providefor enhanced infant soothing and comfort.

Accordingly, it can be seen that needs exist for improvements in motionchild-support devices providing for enhanced infant soothing andcomfort. It is to the provision of solutions to these and other needsthat the present invention is primarily directed.

SUMMARY

In example embodiments, the present invention provides an infant seatthat can support a child therein and be selectively controlled to movethe child through a wave motion. The wave motion includes rotational andtranslational components that collectively trace an elliptical path. Inthis way, the wave-motion infant seat provides for enhanced soothing andcomforting effects to the child in the seat.

In one aspect, the wave-motion infant seat includes a firstrotate/translate mechanism, a second rotate/translate mechanism, a drivesystem, and a control system are operable to generate and impartrotation and translation to an infant-receiving component supported by aframe, thereby driving the infant-receiving component through the wavemotion. The first rotate/translate mechanism can include a cam that isdriven by the drive system and a follower that is driven by the cam toimpart the rotation and translation to the infant-receiving component.And the second rotate/translate mechanism can include guided travelerthat is guided by a guide track through conforming rotation andtranslation to permit the wave motion of the infant-receiving componentwithout binding. The drive system is operable to drive at least one ofthe rotate/translate mechanisms to impart the wave motion to theinfant-receiving component, and the control system enables acaretaker/user to control operation of the drive system and thus thewave motion, as desired.

In another aspect of operation of the wave-motion infant seat, with theframe resting on a stable support surface and weighted by theinfant-receiving component, as the cam rotates about a rotational axis,the rotation of the cam causes it to revolve around anoff-center/eccentric rotational connection to the frame. And containmentof the cam by the follower causes the attached-thereto infant-receivingcomponent to travel through a vertical and horizontal wave motion thattraces the elliptical path in a vertical plane running front to rear.

These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention willbe understood with reference to the drawing figures and detaileddescription herein, and will be realized by means of the variouselements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing generaldescription and the following brief description of the drawings anddetailed description of example embodiments are representative andexplanatory of example embodiments of the invention, and are notrestrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective side view of a wave-motion infant seat accordingto an example embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the wave-motion infant seat ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the wave-motion infant seat of FIG.1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a front portion of the wave-motioninfant seat of FIG. 1, showing a front rotate/translate mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the front portion of the wave-motion infantseat of FIG. 4, shown with a portion of the housing of the frontrotate/translate mechanism removed to reveal internal components.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the front portion of the wave-motion infant seatof FIG. 4, shown with a portion of the housing of the frontrotate/translate mechanism removed to reveal internal components.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a rear portion of the wave-motion infantseat of FIG. 1, showing a rear rotate/translate mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the rear portion of the wave-motion infant seatof FIG. 7, showing the rotation and the translation motions of the rearrotate/translate mechanism.

FIGS. 9-13 are a series of side views of the wave-motion infant seat ofFIG. 1 in operation producing the wave motion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to thefollowing detailed description of the invention taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure.It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to thespecific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/orshown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescribing particular embodiments by way of example only and is notintended to be limiting of the claimed invention. Any and all patentsand other publications identified in this specification are incorporatedby reference as though fully set forth herein.

Also, as used in the specification including the appended claims, thesingular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference toa particular numerical value includes at least that particular value,unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressedherein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to“about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a rangeis expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular valueand/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values areexpressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it willbe understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.

With reference now to the drawing figures, wherein like referencenumbers represent corresponding parts throughout the several views,FIGS. 1-12 show a wave-motion infant seat 100 according to an exampleembodiment of the present invention. The wave-motion infant seat 100 ofthis embodiment is a bassinet modified to produce a wave motion to achild held by the infant seat, though the innovative wave-motioncomponents can be adapted for implementation in embodiments based onother types of child-support devices. As such, the term “infant seat” asused herein is intended to be broadly construed to include any type ofchild-support device for which imparting a motion would be desirable,including rockers, cradles, cribs, sleepers, nappers, and the like, andincluding devices with a flat support surface for sleeping, devices witha seat-support surface and an angled back-support to provide an uprightsitting position, multi-position devices, and others. Also, the terms“infant” and “child” are used synonymously herein.

Referring to FIGS. 1-8, the wave-motion infant seat 100 includes a frame110, an infant-receiving component 120, a first rotate/translatemechanism 130, a second rotate/translate mechanism 150, a drive system170, and a control system 180. The frame 110 rests on a support surfacesuch as a floor, and the infant-receiving component 120 is supported byand mounted to the frame by the first and second motion mechanisms 130and 150. The first and second motion mechanisms 130 and 150 enable theinfant-receiving component 120 to be moved through a wave motion, thedrive system 170 is operable to drive at least one of the motionmechanisms to impart the wave motion to the infant-receiving component,and the control system 180 enables a caretaker/user to control operationof the drive system (and thus the wave motion) as desired. In typicalembodiments, the first and/or second motion mechanisms 130 and 150 areprovided by first and second rotate/translate mechanisms that permitrotation and translation of the infant-receiving component 120 (relativeto the frame 110) through the wave motion, though in other embodimentsthey can be provided by other motion-permitting mechanisms known in theart that are configured to permit the wave motion described herein.

The frame 110 can be of a conventional type used for child-supportdevices, and these are well-known in the field, so for brevity thiscomponent is not described in great detail. As an example, the depictedframe 110 includes left and right base members 112 as well as front andrear cross braces 114, with the base members and cross braces made ofmetal tubes. In other embodiments, the frame includes four legs and fourcross braces, X-shaped folding frame members, suspension members forsupporting the infant-receiving component from above, or other framemembers and configurations known in the art. And in other embodiments,the frame can be formed from wood, polymer, composite, or other suitablyrigid materials known in the art.

In addition, the frame 110 can have a curved bottom surface 116 enablingthe infant seat 100 to rock upon the support surface. In embodimentswith such a curved bottom for rocking, the frame can optionally includeone or more displaceable interference members (e.g., feet, stoppers,and/or kick stands) for limiting rocking movement of the infant seat.For example, the depicted embodiment includes four pivot feet 115 a-dshown in their interference positions to limit rocking of the framebottom 116 on the support surface and thereby prevent the infant seat100 from rocking. In other embodiments, the bottom surface of the frameis substantially flat for stability without enabling a rocking motion.

The infant-receiving component 120 can be similar to that of a seat,bassinet, cradle, napper, or other device adapted to receive and supporta child therein. As such, the infant-receiving component 120 can be of aconventional type used for child-support devices, and these arewell-known in the field, so for brevity this component is not describedin great detail. As an example, the depicted the infant-receivingcomponent 120 includes a fabric (or other soft material) liner 122coupled to and supported by a rigid frame 124, with the liner includinga mesh ventilation panel 126 and optionally including a padding layer125. In other embodiments, the infant-receiving component 120 can beprovided by a basket, shell, or other known structure that receives andsupports an infant, and it can be made of a substantially rigid materialsuch as a polymer, wood, composite, or other suitably rigid materialknown in the art.

In addition, the infant seat 100 can optionally have one or moreaccessories such as a canopy 128 or toy bar (not shown) coupled thereto.Optionally, the infant seat 100 can further include a restraint harness(not shown) attached to the infant receiving component 120 and operablefor securing the infant therein.

The infant-receiving component 120 is supported on the frame 110 andmounted thereto by the first and second rotate/translate mechanisms 130and 150. In the depicted embodiment, the first (e.g., front)rotate/translate mechanism 130 couples together the fronts of the frame110 and the infant-receiving component 120 to permit rotation andtranslation of the infant-receiving component 120 relative to the frame110. And the second (e.g., rear) rotate/translate mechanism 150 couplestogether the rears of the frame 110 and the infant-receiving component120 to permit conforming rotation and translation of theinfant-receiving component 120 relative to the frame 110 (as dictated bythe first rotate/translate mechanism 130). In other embodiments, therotate/translate mechanisms are positioned at the sides of the frame andthe infant-receiving component and/or more than two of therotate/translate mechanisms are provided. The major components of thefirst and second rotate/translate mechanisms 130 and 150 can be made ofprimarily of polymeric materials using conventional molding techniquesand equipment, or they can be made of other conventional materials knownin the art.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 4-6, the first rotate/translatemechanism 130 includes a rotary cam element 132 and a follower element134 that is driven by the cam as it rotates and that is fixed to(including integrally formed as a part of) the infant-receivingcomponent 120. In a typical embodiment, the cam 132 includes at leastone cylindrical barrel 136 that defines a rotational axis 138 (e.g.,generally horizontally and laterally extending) and to which the frame100 (e.g., end portions 116 a of base members 116) is rotationallycoupled at an eccentric location 140 (e.g., at its lateral spaced-apartendwalls) that is radially off-center from the rotational axis. And thefollower element 134 includes at least one circular rim 142 defining acircular opening 144 (centered on the rotational axis 138) in a housing146 fixedly attached to the infant-receiving component 120, with thecircular rim surrounding/containing the rotary cam barrel 136 butpermitting rotation of the rotary cam barrel therein about itsrotational axis. As depicted, one cylindrical cam barrel 136 issurrounded/contained by two circular follower rims 140 in spaced-apartsidewalls of one housing 146 extending from the front end of theinfant-receiving component 120.

In this way, with the frame 110 resting on a stable support surface andweighted by the infant-receiving component 120, as the cam barrel 136rotates about its rotational axis 140, the rotation of the cam barrel136 causes it to revolve around its off-center/eccentric rotationalconnection 140 to the frame 110. So the containment of the cam barrel136 within the follower rims 142 of the housing 146 causes the housingand thus the attached-thereto infant-receiving component 120 to travelthrough a vertical and horizontal wave motion that traces an ellipticalpath in a vertical plane running front to rear.

In other embodiments, instead of a cylindrical barrel, the rotary camincludes two (or another number of) laterally spaced-apart circular camplates, arms, or other members, a cylindrical framework of for examplerods, tubes, bars, slats, or other frame members, or another camstructure defining a circular peripheral cam/guide surface. And in otherembodiments, instead of two circular opening-defining rims in a housing,the follower element includes a single continuous tubular bore extendingthrough a housing, a series of follower members for example pins orbosses that are arranged in a circle on a housing or other structureextending from the infant-receiving component, one or more circularopening-defining rims in an arm, plate, or other extension member, oranother follower structure defining a circular peripheralfollower/guided surface surrounding and containing a circular camstructure.

In addition, while the depicted embodiment includes a cylindrical (i.e.,circular) cam structure surrounded and contained by a circular (i.e.,cylindrical) follower structure, other types of cam-and-followerarrangements can be used to generate the described wave motion. Forexample, in other embodiments the cam is elliptical (symmetrical aboutone or two axes), has another non-circular shape (e.g., undulating,wedge-shaped, or another regular or irregular shape), and the followeris driven by but does not surround or contain the cam and can thus beprovided by a pin, tab, elongated surface, or other element formed bythe housing, the infant-receiving component, an extension member, oranother part of the infant seat.

In yet other embodiments the cam and follower are formed by a linkageassembly, for example a cam wheel and a follower linkage of the typeused in elliptical exercise machines, a crank-wheel cam and a rocker-armlinkage, or a U-shaped cam member (with a central offset member that isoffset from and parallel with the frame member) between the end portionsof the frame members and a connecting-rod follower extending between theoffset member and the infant-receiving component). And while thecam-and-follower arrangement of the depicted embodiment couples/retainsthe infant-receiving component to the frame (while permitting relativerotation and translation), in other embodiments the components thatcouple them together are different from the components that permit theirrelative rotation and/or translation (though such separate couplingembodiments can still be considered to be part of the rotate/translatemechanism).

Referring particularly to FIGS. 7-8, the second rotate/translatemechanism 150 includes at least one guide track element 152 and at leastone guided traveler element 154 that rotates and translates relative tothe guide track but is retained by the guide track. In a typicalembodiment, the guide track 152 includes two spaced-apart and facingguide slots 156 formed in a frame-attached body 158 and extendinglengthwise in a front-to-back orientation. And the guided travelerelement 154 includes two generally cylindrical pins 160 extendingoutwardly and laterally from opposite sides of a seat-attached body 162(e.g., collectively forming a T-shaped member). The traveler pins 160are received in their respective guide slots 156 with the seat-attachedbody 162 positioned therebetween, with the pins dimensioned to be longand wide enough and with the slots dimensioned to be deep and wideenough to be retained in the slots. The traveler pins 160 have adiameter/width that is much less than the length of the guide slots 156,so the pins can translate along (e.g., slide within) the length of theguide slots (as indicated by the linear directional arrow). The lengthof the guide slots 156 is selected to be as least as great as (a) twicethe off-set radius between the rotational axis 138 and the eccentricconnection point 140 of the rotary cam barrel 136, plus (b) twice theradius of the traveler pin 160, to allow the full range of translatingmotion (as dictated by the first rotate/translate mechanism 130) withoutbinding or mechanical-stop limitation. And the traveler pins 160 aregenerally cylindrical (i.e., circular) so they can rotate about theiraxes within the guide slots 156 (as indicated by the angular directionalarrow), whether they are translating at the time or not.

In this way, the guided traveler 154 (and thus the infant-receivingcomponent 120 to which it is attached) can both rotate and translaterelative to the guide track 152 (and thus the frame component 116 towhich it is attached) to cooperate with the first rotate/translatemechanism 130 to enable the infant-receiving component to travel throughthe wave motion in a reciprocating fashion according to the wave motionimparted by the first rotate/translate mechanism.

In the depicted embodiment, the frame-attached body 158 is fixedlyattached to (or integrally formed as part of) the frame 110 (e.g., atend portions 116 b of the base members 116), and the seat-attached body162 is fixedly attached to (or integrally formed as part of) theinfant-receiving component 120. In other embodiments, one or both ofthese attached bodies is rotationally coupled to its respective attachedcomponent (to provide the needed range of rotation) and thus thetraveler pins need not provide for the rotational motion (e.g., they canbe rectangular or another non-cylindrical shape). And while the guidetrack and guide pin of the depicted embodiment couple/retain theinfant-receiving component to the frame (while permitting relativerotation and translation), in other embodiments the components thatcouple them together are different from the components that permit theirrelative rotation and/or translation (though such separate couplingembodiments can still be considered to be part of the rotate/translatemechanism).

In yet other embodiments, the guide track and guided traveler arereversed, with the guide track part of the seat-attached body and theguided traveler part of the frame-attached body. In still otherembodiments, another number and/or arrangement of guide slots and guidedpins can be provided. In some embodiments the guide slot is generallyhorizontal, and in other embodiments the guide slot is angled fromhorizontal and/or non-linear (e.g., gently curved upward, downward, orsinusoidally) to contribute another aspect to the wave motion. In yetother embodiments, the first and second rotate/translate mechanisms arereversed, with the first rotate/translate mechanism at the front of theinfant seat and the second rotate/translate mechanism at its rear. Andin yet still other embodiments, another type of conventional mechanismis provided that enables a combination of rotational and translationalmotion between two components. It should be noted that the guide trackand guided traveler of the depicted embodiment provide for a limitedrange of rotation sufficient to conform with and enable the rotationalcomponent of the wave motion dictated by the first rotate/translatemechanism, and as such the rotate/translate mechanism need only providefor a pivoting motion by the guided traveler, though embodimentsproviding for a complete 360-degree rotation can be used instead.

Referring back to FIGS. 5-6, the drive system 170 is operable to driveat least one of the rotate/translate mechanisms 130 and 150 to impartthe wave motion to the infant-receiving component 120. The drive system170 can include conventional components to drive the rotation of the cam136 of the first rotate/translate mechanism 130, with the selection andconfiguration of such drive components known in the art and thus notdescribed in great detail. In an example embodiment, the drive system170 includes a gear train driven by an actuator and driving the cambarrel 136, with the gear train including at least two gears thatinterengage/mesh to transfer rotation from one to the other. Asdepicted, the drive system 170 includes a rotary drive actuator 172, arotary drive gear 174 that is driven by the actuator, and a rotarydriven gear 176 that is driven by the drive gear to rotate the cambarrel 136, with the drive and driven gears in a spur gear arrangement.The drive actuator 172 can be provided by a conventional electric motorand an electric power supply (e.g., batteries, a solar panel, or aconductor that can be plugged into a 110v household receptacle) or byanother conventional rotary actuator. The drive gear 174 can berotationally mounted to the housing 146 or to another component of theinfant seat 100 such as the infant-receiving component 120. And thedriven gear 176 can be attached or formed onto the periphery of the cambarrel 136 (and thus centered on the rotational axis 138). In this way,rotation of the drive gear 172 imparts an opposite-direction rotation tothe driven gear 174 and thus also to the cam barrel 136 to drive thefirst rotate/translate mechanism 130.

In other embodiments, the gear train includes other types of geararrangements such as rack-and-pinion, worm, bevel, or planetary, and/ormore than two gears are included in the gear train. In yet otherembodiments, the drive system includes other types of drive componentssuch as linkages or other conventional structures that are operable totransfer rotational motion. In still other embodiments, the actuator ispositioned at the rear end of the infant receiving component to drivethe second rotate/translate mechanism (e.g., to drive the guidedtraveler) or to drive an alternative second rotate/translate mechanism(e.g., including a cam and follower arrangement similar to that of thefirst rotate/translate mechanism). And in yet still other embodiments,the drive actuator is a conventional linear actuator and the drivesystem includes gears, linkages, or other conventional drive componentsto convert linear motion to rotational motion.

The control system 180 is operable to enable a caretaker/user to controloperation of the drive system 170, and thus the wave motion of theinfant-receiving component 120, as desired. The control system 180 caninclude conventional control components to provide this functionality,with the selection and configuration of such control components known inthe art and thus not described in great detail. Thus, the control system180 can include conventional components to turn the actuator 172 on andoff, to automatically turn off the actuator after a pre-set time period(i.e., a timer function), to indicate low battery power, to setdifferent wave-motion modes (e.g., to vary the speed of the actuator, toreverse the angular direction of the drive actuator to reverse thewave-motion direction, and/or to selectively engage of one of pluraldifferent drive gears to vary the amplitude of the wave motion), and/orto provide other conventional control functions. In an exampleembodiment, the control system 180 includes a controller 182, anelectrical connection 184 from it to the actuator 172, and a userinterface 186 for the controller. As depicted, the controller 182 isprovided by a processor and memory with control programming, theelectrical connection 184 is provided by electric wiring, and the userinterface 186 is provided by at least one control input such as abutton, knob, slide, or the like. In other embodiments, otherconventional controls can be used whose selection and configurationwould be known by persons of ordinary skill in the art.

Referring now to FIGS. 9-13, the operation of the infant seat 100 willnow be briefly described. FIG. 9 shows the infant seat 100 in a randomrest position that for purposes of this description will be referred toas the start position. In this position, the cam 132 is in a rotationalposition with its rotational axis 138 to the right and beside itseccentric connection 140 to the frame 110, and the guide traveler 154 isin its rearmost position relative to the guide track 152.

As shown in FIG. 10, upon operation of the control system to active thedrive system, the cam 132 is rotationally driven (as indicated by theadjacent angular direction arrow) to revolve about its eccentric frameconnection 140 until its rotational axis 138 is below its eccentricframe connection. In turn, the containment of the cam barrel 136 withinthe follower rims 142 of the housing 146 causes the housing and thus theattached-thereto infant-receiving component 120 to be driven through acurved motion including a forward translation component and downwardrotation component (as indicated by the adjacent angular and lineardirectional arrows). And the guide traveler 154 facilitates this bymoving (relative to the guide track 152) through a conforming curvedmotion including a forward translation component and a downwardrotational component (as indicated by the adjacent angular and lineardirectional arrows).

The process continues with the cam 132 further rotationally driven (asindicated by the adjacent angular direction arrows) to revolve about itseccentric frame connection 140 until its rotational axis 138 is to theleft and beside its eccentric frame connection (FIG. 11), then above itseccentric frame connection (FIG. 12), then back to the left and besideits eccentric frame connection (FIG. 13) once again in the startposition. This causes the infant-receiving component 120 to be furtherdriven through a curved motion including translation and rotationcomponents, and the guide traveler 154 facilitates this by moving(relative to the guide track 152) through a conforming curved motionincluding translation and rotation components (as indicated by thecorresponding adjacent angular and linear directional arrow sets), asshown in respective FIGS. 11-13. The cumulative result is that therevolving cam 132 causes the infant-receiving component 120 to travelthrough a wave motion that traces an elliptical path in a vertical planerunning front to rear.

While the invention has been described with reference to preferred andexample embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat a variety of modifications, additions and deletions are within thescope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An infant seat for use on a support surface, theinfant seat comprising: a frame that is supportable by the supportsurface; an infant-receiving component that is supported by the frame; afirst motion mechanism coupled between the infant-receiving componentand the frame, the first motion mechanism including a follower and a camthat drives the follower to impart motion to the infant-receivingcomponent to trace an elliptical path defining a wave motion; a secondmotion mechanism coupled between the infant-receiving component and theframe, the second motion mechanism including a guide track and a guidedtraveler that moves relative to the guide track to facilitate the motionof the infant-receiving component; and a drive system that isselectively operable to drive the first motion mechanism to produce thewave motion of the infant-receiving component.
 2. The infant seat ofclaim 1, wherein the first motion mechanism, the second motionmechanism, or both, are provided by at least one rotate/translatemechanism that permits rotation and translation of the infant-receivingcomponent relative to the frame.
 3. The infant seat of claim 1, whereinthe first and second motion mechanisms are provided by respective firstand second rotate/translate mechanisms that permit rotation andtranslation of the infant-receiving component relative to the frame. 4.The infant seat of claim 3, wherein the cam includes a rotary cam thatis rotationally driven by the drive system about a rotational axis. 5.The infant seat of claim 4, wherein the rotary cam includes acylindrical barrel and the rotational axis is generally horizontally andlaterally extending.
 6. The infant seat of claim 4, wherein the followerincludes at least one peripheral rim defining an opening that receivesthe rotary cam with the rotary cam surrounded and contained by theperipheral rim.
 7. The infant seat of claim 6, wherein the follower rimis circular and the rotary cam is circular.
 8. The infant seat of claim7, wherein the follower is fixedly attached to the infant-receivingcomponent and the cam is rotationally coupled to the frame at aconnection point on the cam that is eccentric relative to the rotationaxis.
 9. The infant seat of claim 8, wherein rotation of the rotary camabout the rotational axis causes the rotary cam to revolve around theeccentric rotational connection to the frame, and the containment of therevolving cam by the follower rim causes the infant-receiving componentto move through the wave motion.
 10. The infant seat of claim 4, whereinthe follower is fixedly attached to the infant-receiving component andthe cam is rotationally coupled to the frame at a connection point onthe cam that is eccentric relative to the rotational axis.
 11. Theinfant seat of claim 3, wherein the guided traveler rotates andtranslates relative to the guide track in response to the rotation andtranslation of the infant-receiving component imparted by the firstrotate/translate mechanism.
 12. The infant seat of claim 3, wherein theguide track is fixedly attached to the infant-receiving component andthe guided traveler is fixedly attached to the frame.
 13. The infantseat of claim 3, wherein the guide track includes at least one guideslot and the guided traveler includes at least one guided pin that isreceived and retained by the guide slot.
 14. The infant seat of claim13, wherein the guide track has a length selected to permit translationof the guided pin in response to the translation of the infant-receivingcomponent imparted by the first rotate/translate mechanism.
 15. Theinfant seat of claim 13, wherein the guided pin is cylindrical to permitrotation of the guided pin in response to the rotation of theinfant-receiving component imparted by the first rotate/translatemechanism.
 16. An infant seat for use on a support surface, the infantseat comprising: a frame that is supportable by the support surface; aninfant-receiving component that is supported by the frame; a firstrotate/translate mechanism coupled between the infant-receivingcomponent and the frame, the first rotate/translate mechanism includinga follower and a rotary cam, wherein the rotary cam rotates about arotational axis to drive the follower, the cam is rotationally coupledto the frame at a connection point on the cam that is eccentric relativeto the rotation axis, the follower includes at least one peripheral rimdefining an opening that receives the rotary cam with the rotary camsurrounded and contained by the peripheral rim, and the follower isfixedly attached to the infant-receiving component, and wherein rotationof the rotary cam about the rotational axis causes the rotary cam torevolve around the eccentric rotational connection to the frame, and thecontainment of the revolving cam by the follower rim drives the followerto impart rotation and translation to the infant-receiving component totrace an elliptical path defining a wave motion; a secondrotate/translate mechanism coupled between the infant-receivingcomponent and the frame, the second rotate/translate mechanism includinga guide track and a guided traveler that moves relative to the guidetrack to facilitate the rotation and translation of the infant-receivingcomponent; and a drive system that is selectively operable to drive thefirst rotate/translate mechanism to produce the wave motion of theinfant-receiving component.
 17. The infant seat of claim 16, wherein therotary cam includes a cylindrical barrel and the rotational axis isgenerally horizontally and laterally extending, and wherein the followerrim is circular and the rotary cam is circular.
 18. The infant seat ofclaim 16, wherein the guided traveler rotates and translates relative tothe guide track in response to the rotation and translation of theinfant-receiving component imparted by the first rotate/translatemechanism.
 19. The infant seat of claim 16, wherein the guide track isfixedly attached to the infant-receiving component and the guidedtraveler is fixedly attached to the frame.
 20. The infant seat of claim16, wherein the guide track includes at least one guide slot and theguided traveler includes at least one guided pin that is received andretained by the guide slot, and wherein the guide slot has a lengthselected to permit translation of the guided pin in response to thetranslation of the infant-receiving component imparted by the firstrotate/translate mechanism, and the guided pin is cylindrical to permitrotation of the guided pin in response to the rotation of theinfant-receiving component imparted by the first rotate/translatemechanism.